React to Fire
- The National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that
approximately 80 percent of all fire deaths in the United
States and Canada occur in the home. Roughly 11 people
per day die in home fires in the U.S. and Canada. Many
lives can be saved if people react immediately when a fire
alarm sounds. Once a fire starts, there is no time to
develop a plan. The NFPA urges everyone to "Know When
to Go."
In Single
Family Homes
If a smoke detector sounds:
-
If
a smoke detector sounds in your home, leave immediately - do
not investigate.
-
Alert Others by shouting "Fire! Everyone outside!" and
leave immediately.
-
Test doors with the back of your hand before opening them.
If the door is warm, use an alternative escape route.
-
Use
windows as alternate exits.
-
If
you must exit through smoke, crawl low, keeping your head 12
to 24 inches above the floor, where the air is cleaner.
-
When you are outside, go to your meeting place.
-
Call the Fire Department using a neighbor's phone, portable
phone or fire alarm box.
DO NOT GO BACK INSIDE
FOR ANY REASON
Know
What to Do
-
Know at least two ways out of every room.
-
Practice your escape plan with an exit drill every six
months.
-
Pick a meeting place outside your home where everyone can
gather once they've left the building.
-
Keep exit paths clear of furniture and clutter.
-
Make sure the number of your home is clearly visible from
the street.
Special Situations
-
If
possible, older adults and people with mobility disability
should sleep on the ground floor.
-
Make special plans for anyone who may need assistance in
escaping.
-
Let
your fire department know whether your household includes
someone who may have difficulty escaping from a fire.
In High Rise Buildings
Consult your
building management or fire department and know what to do in
advance. In some occupancies, such as high-rise apartment
buildings, the safest action when a fire alarm sounds may be to
stay inside the dwelling unit and protect yourself from smoke
until the fire department arrives. Some building
evacuation plans may require you to go to a "safe area" inside
the building and wait for the fire department to supervise the
evacuation.
When a fire alarm sounds
If you stay
-
Stay calm and take steps to protect yourself.
-
If
possible, go to a room with an outside window or balcony and
a telephone.
-
Close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the
cracks around your door with towels, rags or duct tape and
cover vents to keep smoke out of the room.
-
If
there is a phone in the room call the fire department, even
if you see fire trucks and report your exact location.
-
Wait at a window and signal for help using a flash light or
by waving a sheet or light-colored cloth.
-
If
possible, open the window at the top and bottom, but do not
break the window. Be ready to close the window quickly
if smoke rushes in.
-
Be
patient. Rescuing all the occupants of a high-rise
building can take several hours.
If you go
-
Follow your building's evacuation plans exactly unless there
is immediate danger. Proceed cautiously, checking each
door your encounter for heat and each corridor or stairwell
for smoke. If you encounter smoke or flames at any
point, seek an alternate exit route. If non is
available, return to your room, protect yourself from smoke
and wait to be rescued.
-
Elevators should not be used during a fire.
-
If
you must exit through smoke, crawl low, under it where the
air is cleaner.
-
As
you exit, close all doors behind you to prevent the spread
of smoke or flames.
-
Once you are out, do not go back inside; tell the fire
department if anyone is trapped inside.
Plan ahead
-
Learn your buildings evacuation plans.
-
Be
familiar with the sound of the fire alarm.
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Learn the location of pull stations that may active your
building's fire alarm, and how to use them.
-
Post emergency numbers near all phones.
-
Know at least two escape routes from your apartment or condo
and pick a meeting place outside.
-
Learn the
fastest route to your building's fire exits so that you can
find them, even in the dark.
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